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The heirs of a Jewish spouses have brought a case against The Met, asserting that a the Dutch artist art piece was looted by Nazi forces.

Historical Background

As stated in the court documents, Hedwig and Frederick Stern purchased the piece, titled Olive Picking, in 1935. A year after, they were compelled to leave their dwelling in Munich, Germany on the eve of the Second World War.

The complaint argues that the Met, which obtained the artwork in the 1950s for a significant sum, must have realized it was probably stolen property. The heirs are now demanding the repatriation of the artwork along with compensation.

In the decades since the war, this stolen artwork has been often and discreetly exchanged, purchased and sold in and through New York, states the legal filing.

The Sterns' Escape

The Sterns departed from their Munich home to the United States in 1936 with their offspring due to the oppressive Nazi regime. Yet, they were barred from transporting the Van Gogh piece, which was painted by the renowned Dutch in the late 19th century.

Before the family's emigration, the Nazi government classified the artwork as property of the state and prohibited the family from bringing it with them. Following authorization from a Third Reich agent, a agent designated by the authorities auctioned the artwork on the couple's behalf. Yet, the proceeds from the auction were placed in a blocked account, which the Nazis later confiscated.

Subsequent Ownership

Around 1948, or soon after, the artwork entered NYC and was acquired by Vincent Astor, a member of the Astor family. Later, it was sold through a commercial outlet to the institution, which then transferred it to prominent shipowner the magnate and his wife, Elise, in the early 1970s.

Basil and Elise founded the BEG in 1979, which operates a institution in the Greek capital where the painting is currently shown.

Claims and Defenses

The institution and a living relative of Goulandris are listed as respondents. The lawsuit claims that the Goulandris family and its associated organizations have hidden and obscured the masterpiece's history and current place from the heirs.

Even now, the foundation continue to conceal the manner and time the institution came into control of the piece; the family's possession of the Painting from 1935 to 1938; and the reality that the Nazis stole the canvas from the heirs, pressured the couple into selling it via a regime representative, and confiscated the proceeds of the deal.

Previous Legal Action

The family submitted a related lawsuit in the state of California in recently, but it was thrown out in 2024. An legal challenge was also dismissed in recently.

Museum's Response

The legal action argues that the museum's acquisition of the artwork was authorized by Theodore Rousseau Jr, the institution's specialist of European art and one of the world's foremost experts on Nazi art looting. The institution and its expert knew or should have known that the masterpiece had almost certainly been stolen by the Nazis.

The museum issued a statement that it takes seriously its ongoing pledge to resolve Nazi-era claims.

An official stated: Never during The Met's ownership of the painting was there any evidence that it had once belonged to the Stern family – actually, that information did not become accessible until several decades after the artwork left the Met's possession.

The museum's disposal of Olive Picking met the Met's guidelines for removal from collection – specifically, it was recorded that the artwork was considered to be of lesser quality than other works of the same type in the collection. Although The Met respectfully stands by its view that this artwork entered the collection and was sold legally and well within all rules and regulations, the Met invites and will examine any additional details that comes to light.

Goulandris Statement

Legal counsel representing the Goulandris Foundation commented: The institution is a esteemed foundation in Greece. The action to litigate and defame the Foundation and the family in the America upon misleadingly incomplete allegations was already thrown out, twice. We are certain it will be again.